Historically, motor/fan systems used in vacuum cleaners have been compromised by the inability to increase fan performance without sacrificing the debris ingestion capability thereof. Further, the ventilation fans of such known systems have their inlet and exhaust plenums in relatively close proximity, resulting in less than optimal motor component cooling. Accordingly, the life span and overall reliability of the motor components is also less than optimal.
Typically, vacuum cleaner interfaces, such as switches and power receptacles, are mounted on the cleaner assembly. As such, manufacturing and assembly of the motor fan assembly to the cleaner assembly is both labor intensive and expensive due to the numerous connections required.
Thus, it is desired to obtain a flexible integrated, and easily assembled fan/motor assembly for vacuum cleaners, and the like, which has increased fan performance without a corresponding decrease in debris ingestion capability while running cooler and more reliably.